The journey continues...

So when we left off, I was still in Shannnon, Ireland waiting for my flight to Manas AFB, Kyrgyzstan. Well, we stayed the night at the Clare Inne, and the next morning boarded a bus to return to the terminal. Back aboard the plane and off we went to Manas. We landed around midnight local time and were hastily given accommodations. The temperature wasn’t too terribly bad, maybe 20 degrees. For those of you who don’t know where Kyrgyzstan is, it’s just south of the area known as Siberia, one of the old Soviet block countries. It’s cold. We bedded down, not knowing if we were going to be there for a day or more. When I woke up, all cuddled in my “fart sack” (that’s a sleeping bag), I noticed that the temperature in the circus tent was noticeably colder. Maybe 50 degrees, whereas when I fell asleep it was closer to 60. This didn’t bode well, as the shower facilities were in another building across the way. I got my toiletries together and headed outside…HOLY S&%T. I haven’t been in weather that cold since I was a traffic control person for Foxwoods Casino and had to deal with sub zero wind chill factors. Only the wind wasn’t blowing this time and it was still bones cold. After taking a shower, having a morning constitutional, shaving and brushing my teeth etc. I returned to the tent. One of our Soldiers had snuck online and found out that the temperature was a balmy -9 degrees Fahrenheit. Ok, that’s just ridiculous. Got my cold weather gear on, and went out to burn a cigarette…my breath was freezing on my neck gaiter which had been pulled up over my face. Now, it was 8am local and the sun still hadn’t come up, and wouldn’t until after 9. Once the sun did crest the horizon, it warmed up a little, but only to about 15 degrees. A couple of us went over to the Green Beans Café, which are spread out all over the military bases overseas. (basically they are a knock off of Starbucks, and got lucky to get a contract with the military to supply a taste of home for the deployed Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines). Ordered my spiced chai latte, and waited for word on when we were going to depart.
While we were waiting, I stopped by the MWR, (Morale, Welfare, Recreation) Center near the circus tent we were staying in. They had some free munchies, coffee, sandwiches for the personnel there, as well as internet and a television broadcasting the Winter Olympics. They also had a pool table. A couple other NCO’s were in the middle of a back and forth rack of 8-ball, talking smack the entire time. Mitch was in there with me, and seeing the pool table, looked at me. I just smiled, nodded and went on to ask if anyone had winner. By this time they had begun a second rack. One of them was not too bad a shooter, making a couple of decent shots, and moving the cue with somewhat of a purpose. The cue they were using had no tip, just ferrule, as the tip had long ago fell off, and a caved out cube of chalk. It was also painted black, with the black lacquer chipped off in places revealing the bare wood underneath. The butt of the cue had been snapped off, leaving a nice little spear end of the cue, and drastically reducing the weight of the cue. It weighed 15 oz., and that was giving it some credit. I went and checked the other cues stacked up in a corner, and none of them even had ferrules. So the snapped off stick it was. The better shooter ended up winning and I went to rack the balls. As he was rolling balls down to me, I was watching how they rolled down the table. This table, which looked to be a Gold Crown knock off, had ball return pockets which were blocked by nails driven into the wood “slate” bed to prevent balls from falling out. This is because the ball return wasn’t actually there. As a result, many of the balls, while they were made out of the phenolic resin, were so beat up that they reminded me of the old clay balls which used to be used. This table also was off level…the area where the rack was being higher than the kitchen. The rails played very springy, and the wood had marks in it, causing the balls to roll as if they were drunk at times. All in all, a great table, considering where we were.
I racked the balls up, and stepped back as he broke. He didn’t make anything, leaving a wide open table. I chose stripes and promptly missed my first shot. He followed suit, leaving me another shot at stripes. I cleared 4 of them off the table and lined up for a longer, cross table back cut to the upper left hand corner pocket. I hit it about as well as could be struck, holding the cue for my key ball in the side. The 14 ball, shot right into the corner, dead center, dropped, apparently hit the nail blocking the non-existant ball return, and popped right back out, rolling to the center of the table. *sigh* The other NCO, a Sergeant First Class, just looked at me, and proceeded to miss once again. When he missed, he managed to lock the 8-ball up, making running out without a break up impossible. Of course, the shot which I was left with was a draw shot. The cue ball was about 6” below the right side pocket, about a diamond off the rail, object ball about 6” on the other side of the same side pocket, a diamond off the rail. The shot was a perfect opportunity to break the 8 ball out with some draw. So I lined up with some bottom, trying not to cue to low. *tink* Miscue. *sigh* He misses again…he’s not shooting the same as before, maybe someone who can make a few balls in a row has him a little flustered. IDK. He left me straight in, and I manage to get down to the 8. It wasn’t broken out, so I just played a little chip, trying to just get it out in the open.
“Man, I ain’t even made a ball yet and he’s on the 8. Who the he!! Is this guy?”
I just smiled, and looked over at Mitch, who did the same. The other NCO manages to make a ball, then sells out. I was left with the same shot which I made earlier, where the nail in the pocket foiled me. I hit it a bit slower and rolled the ball perfectly…aside from the table roll. Into the first diamond on the short rail it went. He made another shot, missed and I cut the 8-ball in to win. Mitch stepped up and wants to play, so he racks them up and I break. Dolly Parton; all bust, no balls. This game went about the same way, before Mitch decided that he was frustrated with the table and wants to go back to the Green Beans Café for more coffee. (he’s a mad coffee fiend…he’s having an espresso machine mailed to him here) I knocked balls around for a few more seconds before I gave the table up.
We went back to the circus tent before heading out to the Green Beans Café to find out that our flight had been arranged for that night at 2000. (that’s 8pm). We went, grabbed some coffee, packed out stuff up and headed out to the PAX terminal to get ready for our flight. We were on lock down for 3 hours, unable to leave the terminal while we waited for our flight to be ready. Around 1900, we were told that it was time, and we headed out to our flight. We would be taking a C-17 military transport into country. Again, packed flight. I was lucky enough to get one of the seats on the side of the aircraft. The reason being, if you were in the seats which were in the middle, it was a little bit of a shaky ride. They were all on pallets which, while locked in, don’t lock in place all the way. They shift back and forth a few inches. So if there is an altitude change, they rock forward, then rock back. Imagine being on a roller coaster heading up to the first big drop being dragged by the chain. The rocking that’s caused by the chain is very similar. Except that on these flights, it lasts for about 2 hours. Oh yeah…it’s loud in that cargo hold. Personally, I just fell asleep for the majority of the flight. I woke up as the lights in the cargo hold went red, indicating that they were on approach vectors and reducing altitude. Until we landed, the only way I can describe the ride was like a roller coaster. Up, then down. Up, then down…speed up, slow down. They were navigating through the Hindu-Kush mountain range, part of the Himalaya range, and had to maintain certain elevation standards over the mountains. We finally landed safely at Bagram AFB, Afghanistan at about 2215 on the 16th of February. Ahh…so good to be back here after a few years of garrison life.
It was night time when we landed, so many of the Soldiers who had not been here before had no idea what the area looked like. Just looked like another military airstrip. We were ushered to the area which we were going to be staying. These accommodations are PLUSH. The last time I was over here, we were staying in what were called “B-huts”. Basically, plywood structures which were covered by military tents. Sometimes insulated, most of the time not. They slept about 16 people, with 8 sets of bunk beds. They had electricity, and you could customize the interior with building supplies, as long as you had a basic understanding of woodwork. It was those, a big tent with cots, or sleeping in the dirt if we were outside the wire. The place that I’m staying now…it’s got its own bathroom, sink, toilet, fridge, drawers, a couple of wall lockers, a lock box, a TELEVISION, electricity, and eventually will have access to wireless INTERNET. I’ve found nirvana in a combat zone….unreal.



My living arrangements for the next year...quite the cush set-up

Of course, there are a few minor nuisances. The Pakistani contractors who set this up, neglected to put the pipe traps in the sewer system, so there is a nasty smell if you don’t pour water down your drains every so often. And, like the rest of Bagram, we’re right on the airfield…which has a constant stream of traffic coming in and out. To include fighter aircraft…not too quiet. Especially at 0300. There’s also the ½ mile walk to the DFAC, (dining facility), but those are little nit-picky things. On a whole, it’s about as far from what I was dealing with before as you can get.
Since we’ve gotten here, it’s been just getting ready to do our job, and checking out the base so we can get acclimated. Doing some PT, getting used to the altitude, (we’re at 5200 ft. above sea level). Oh yeah, the views from this base are phenomenal. Mountains surround us on three sides, and they’re fairly large…the foothills of the Hindu-Kush range. They are upwards of 10k ft ASL, with some of the farther ones closer to 13k. Without a map, it’s hard to say though. Since I’ve been here, I’ve already finished 4 books, and am starting another. That’s been about it though…it’s been a hectic, but yet at the same time a pretty sedate 2 weeks. Unfortunately, there are no pictures allowed outside here, so those will most likely not be happening while I'm here. If you have any questions, as long as it’s not about what I do, go ahead and ask. I’ll try to answer as best I can within the confines of OPSEC (Operational Security). Hope everyone is doing well…I know I am.